High Pressure Hope…

If we have one cool thing in our house, it’s our shower. What we hadn’t noticed was the water pressure slowly getting lower. Until a sort of whining sound started.

How had we not noticed how slow the water had become? It was gradual.That’s how it is when we lose sight of hope. Gradually we begin to live as though everything depends on us, that this is all there is, and despair is the new normal.

“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1Corinthians 15:19 NIV)

A good cleaning of the mixer valve parts and voila – no whining and lots of water pressure. Like what happens in our hearts when Jesus puts His Spirit there. A good cleaning – but not always ‘voila, no whining’.

God’s Spirit pours into us and out through us, but “We have to get to the point where we become so familiar with the presence of God’s Spirit that anything less feels foreign.” (Stormie Omartian) Hope fades most when we ignore or forget He is always with us.

“This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”(Romans 5:5 CSB)

Then there’s the faucet handle out back. It’s stiff, the slightest turn and water is bursting forth, no low/medium/high. I grumble to my husband about fixing it. But maybe there’s a good lesson there. God doesn’t want us to turn up our faith and hope in degrees as though we can turn on the Holy Spirit when we’re floundering, lower His presence a little when things are smoother, and turn Him off when we’ve got it under control.

At all times and in all ways “We must walk so closely with the Lord that we feel most comfortable in His presence and uncomfortable when we are not.” (Stormie Omartian)

Water – one thing we don’t live long without. Father, Son, Holy Spirit – One we don’t even have life without.“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”(Romans 15:13 HCSB)